Lewis & Short

ex-solvo, solvi, sŏlūtum, 3 (per diaeresin exsolŭātur, Lucr. 1, 811: exsolŭïsse, Ov. F. 4, 534; cf. solvo, init.), v. a., to loose, unloose, to unbind, untie, undo (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).

  1. I. Lit.
    1. A. In gen.: nexus, Lucr. 1, 220: Am. Agedum, eam solve cistulam. So. Quid ego istam exsolvam? undo, unseal, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 152: properans exsolvi restim, id. Rud. 2, 3, 37: catenas Caecinae, Tac. H. 3, 31: vincula, id. A. 3, 33; id. H. 3, 12: pugionem a latere, to ungird, id. H. 3, 68: venas praebere exsolvendas, to be opened, id. A. 4, 22; 11, 3; 16, 17: brachia ferro eodem ictu, id. ib. 15, 63: amictus, to pull off, Stat. S. 1, 5, 53: venenum exsoluta alvo transmisit, i. e. in a flux, diarrhœa, Tac. A. 13, 15.
      Of an inanimate subject: (ignis) exsolvit glaciem, dissolves, melts, Lucr. 6, 878.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To set loose, release, deliver, free (mostly poet.): aliquem vinclis, Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 10; so, exsolutus vinculis, Suet. Ner. 49: jube sis me exsolvi cito, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 16 sq.: sese e nervis (animae), Lucr. 3, 696; cf. id. 1, 811: se paulatim corpore (said of one dying), Verg. A. 11, 829: quo (sanguine), Tac. H. 5, 6.
      2. 2. In mercant. lang. (qs. to free from obligation, v. solvo, to discharge, pay a debt): nomina mea, per deos, expedi, exsolve (for which, shortly after: hoc quod debeo plane expedias et solutum relinquas), Cic. Att. 16, 6, 3: aes alienum, Plin. Ep. 3, 11, 2: pretium, Plaut. Men. 5, 6, 26: multiplicem sortem, Liv. 6, 14, 7: dotem uxori, Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 56: legata, Tac. A. 1, 36 fin. et saep.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. In gen., to throw off, lay aside, rid one’s self of a thing: legis nexus, Tac. A. 3, 28 fin.: metus, i. e. to lay aside, Luc. 5, 259: pudorem, Stat. Ach. 1, 565: robur peditum ad exsolvendum obsidium ducit, i. e. to raise, Tac. A. 3, 39.
    2. B. In partic.
      1. 1. To release, free from any thing: animum artis nodis religionum, Lucr. 1, 932; 4, 7: animos religione, Liv. 8, 9, 13: populum religione, id. 3, 20, 4: se occupationibus, Cic. Fam. 7, 1, 5: aliquem errore, suspicione, Ter. Hec. 5, 2, 26: aliquem aere alieno, Liv. 6, 14, 11: curis, Verg. A. 4, 652: sollicitudine, Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 11: contumeliā, Tac. A. 13, 36: poenā, id. ib. 14, 12: custode, id. ib. 12, 46 et saep.
      2. 2. To discharge, pay a debt or an obligation: de tertio genere se scripsit dicturum, nec exsolvit quod promiserat, but did not keep his promise, Cic. Off. 3, 2, 7: vota (deo), Plaut. Am. 3, 2, 67; Liv. 21, 21, 9 (opp. se obligare): jus jurandum, id. 24, 18, 5: fidem, to fulfil one’s promise, id. 26, 31, 10: praemia, poenas alicui, to award, id. 26, 40, 15: gratiam recte factis, alicujus, id. 28, 25, 6; cf. grates, to render, give, Tac. A. 14, 13: beneficia, to repay, requite, id. ib. 11, 18; cf.: vicem beneficio, id. H. 4, 3: poenas morte, to suffer, id. A. 1, 10; cf. Vell. 2, 88 fin.
      3. 3. To solve, explain any thing enigmatical or obscure: perfacile est parili ratione exsolvere nobis, quare, etc., Lucr. 2, 381.